Le Bon Marché, Paris' oldest department store (1852), is not as grand or as ornate as Les Galeries Lafayette or Printemps on the Rive Droite, but therein lies its charm. The inventory is well-edited and the sales people are friendly and accommodating. A Chanel make-up artist even gifted me a lovely, red cosmetic case because I spoke French with him (apparently unlike many American tourists). In addition un peu de shopping, I enjoyed the unique art installation by Ciharu Shiota, Where are we going? -- a series of beautiful sculptures created with string. I was also amused by the Loïc Prigent pop-up shop entitled Entendu au Bon Marché. The black and white postcards, caps, T-shirts, and mugs feature quotes like "Where is the central escalator?" (Hard to miss!) and "May I have some Champagne so I can take a selfie?"-- things that the documentary filmmaker and journalist has actually heard in the Rive Gauche store. Le Bon Marché is the perfect juxtaposition of Belle Epoque architecture and modern style.

It's Throwback Thursday and I'm featuring a photo taken barely a month ago. There's nothing profound or poetic to say about it except that somehow a cold, rainy day in Paris really is more pleasant that a cold, rainy day in Wisconsin...and when you see a vintage Fiat with a Jesus sticker in the window, you take a picture!

The best way to get around Paris is always à pied -- on foot. I certainly got my exercise in a week, walking 45 miles and climbing 99 flights of stairs (that's about 1188 steps). Most of those stairs were in the Paris Métro. When the weather was bad or I was in a hurry or simply exhausted, I would take the Métro. It's such an efficient way to navigate Paris. Some people prefer the bus because you can see where you're going, but I have a hard time figuring out the bus routes. Besides, almost half of "my line" (3.8 miles), Line 6, is above ground with gorgeous views of Haussmannian apartments in the 16th arrondissement and several Paris' most famous landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower as it crosses over the Pont Bir-Hakeim.

Though the Métro is convenient, I also love the Art Nouveau details of some of the original entrances designed by Hector Guimard, as well as more modern interpretations like the Kiosque des noctambules at the Palais Royal. Some of the underground stations, such as Abbesses (12), Arts et Métiers (3, 11), Cité (4), and Concorde (1, 8, 12) are also fascinating.